Orange County Fire Authority Captain Steve Concialdi says the Cessna was heading to the airport when it came down and struck an empty parked car in the lot of a Staples store. He says there was no fire and nobody on the ground was hurt.

Photos from the scene show the plane upright but on its belly. Several streets surrounding a nearby shopping centre and the South Coast Plaza mall are closed.

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1:25 p.m.

Authorities say a small airplane has crashed near a Southern California mall parking lot.